The problem of the storage of both long and short handled tools has been an irritation to shop owners and homeowners for many years. In many cases, long handled tools such as rakes, hoes, shovels, mops, brooms, and the like are simply leaned up against the wall in a closet or a garage. This arrangement is often inconvenient, in that the tools are not easily accessible, any may frequently fall into a pile. Similarly, a problem has been encountered with short handled tools such as hammers, trowels, sledges, and the like. These tools are normally stored in a cabinet or in a box, and are not conveniently available, particularly if their frequent use (e.g. around a workbench) is desired.
Recognizing these problems, a number of persons have attempted to create an organizational system for these tools. Several holders are described in the prior art; for example, Belcher, U.S. Pat. No. 1,206,655, describes a holder for a mop, broom, or carpet sweeper which consists of a wall-mounted hinged ring, with the ring being retractable by a spring when not in use. The ring has a series of teeth located around the periphery of the ring to grip the tool handle. Dixon, U.S. Pat. No. 2,422,891 shows a similar ring-type holder, wherein the ring has an upwardly extending lip on the rear portion which engages a bracket permanently affixed to a wall. The handle of the implement is thrust upwardly from beneath the ring; when the handle is released, the weight of the handle urges the ring downwardly and into frictional engagement therewith. Both the Belcher and Dixon devices have the disadvantage that the handle must be placed substantially parallel and near the wall before inserting the handle in the ring, and that the device must be mounted at a level higher than the handle length to be operable.
A similar holder for both short and long-handled implements is described in Longfellow, U.S. Pat. No. 2,898,657. This patent discloses a device very similar to the Dixon device, except that the ring is open on one side, allowing the implement to be inserted from the side rather than from below. Yet another device is described in Andrews, U.S. Pat. No. 2,987,285; the Andrews device consists of a flexible double loop which is adjustable in the middle by a sliding ferrule. Frictional force is exerted by the loop, the ferrule, and a sponge rubber ball at the top of the hanger serve to hold an implement in place.
The present invention relates to a frictional tool hanger which can be used for both long and short-handled tools, and which is easily adjustable to hold the tools at any height. By simple sliding adjustment, the tools can be lowered to a level easily reached by children, or can be raised beyond their reach. In addition, placement of tools in the hanger of the invention is very easy because the operating member of the hanger is on the end of a flexible cord and is easily held in one hand while the tool is inserted with the other hand. Therefore, the device is easily used by children or handicapped persons.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a holder for long and short-handled tools which is easy to manufacture and install, and which is easily adjustable to tools of various shapes and sizes. It is another object of the invention to provide a hanger which is very easy to use, in that the hanger can be held well away from a wall while the tool is inserted in the hanger. It is still another object of the invention to provide a hanger which may be installed away from a vertical wall, e.g., on a beam or ceiling. These and other objects of the invention will be clear to one skilled in the art from the following description of a specific mode of the invention.